Divine Healing is Never Superficial
by David Cross
The Bible is full of extraordinary, but relevant, comments on real life. When someone is struggling with major depression, the last thing they need, however well-meaning, is a cheery friend trying to counteract their overwhelming feelings of despair, with annoying jollity.
Depression is rarely just a mood disorder. It is much more likely to be rooted in deep distress in the human spirit, combined with the unconscious and unhelpful ways in which we have sought to cope with that distress. Thankfully, Jesus sees well beyond the surface issues of our lives right into the complex workings of the human heart, and He wants to touch and heal the underlying disorder. He does not condemn us for the past choices that we’ve made, but today He offers us a new choice – His complete Lordship.
As He shows us the effect of wounding in our lives, together with the self-protection and behaviours that many of us have adopted to deal with inner pain, we can begin the journey of knowing His healing. The man lowered through the roof in front of Jesus wasn`t just paralysed in his body, he was gripped inside by guilt, until the Healer saw the deep need of his heart – forgiveness.
A debilitating disorder such as depression is not resolved by telling someone to “snap out of it”. There needs to be a walk of restoration in the core of a person’s being, and only the Creator of human life can do that, as we help each other in the Body of Christ to give Him that precious opportunity.
Prayer: Father God, we are grateful that Your restorative touch on our lives is not just skin-deep. Give us the understanding and courage we need to welcome You into those hurting places in our lives that we have guarded, or even abandoned. Today, we seek Your healing from the inside out. Amen.
David Cross David is part of the Executive Leadership of Ellel Ministries, with particular responsibility for the Ellel centres in Western Europe. He is married to Denise and they have three grown up children and eight grandchildren. David has been a civil engineer and ski-touring instructor in the Highlands of Scotland. He is passionate about the teaching and practice of the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus and has written several books: Soul Ties, Trapped by Control, God’s Covering, The Dangers of Alternative Ways to Healing(co-authored with John Berry), an A to Z Guide to the Healing Ministry, What`s Wrong with Human Rights? and, most recently, God`s Way out of Depression. You can follow a daily thought from David on Twitter: @dmcross62
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